The couple were found close to the summit of Cairn Gorm. Photo: John S Ross CC-BY-SA-2.0
A rescue team leader said a couple who spent the night on a Highland mountain probably owe their lives to their plastic bivvy bag.
The walkers were found close to the 1,244m (4,081ft) summit of Cairn Gorm on Monday after a search in conditions described as ‘Arctic’ by rescuers.
The man, 59, and the 56-year-old woman set out from Glenmore with their collie dog on New Year’s Day but failed to return, prompting an overnight search of the Cairn Gorm plateau by members of the Cairngorm and Braemar Mountain Rescue Teams, an RAF MRT and the Inverness Coastguard search and rescue helicopter.
A Cairngorm team spokesperson said: “The missing persons were not found overnight and a full team search was initiated for first light which included the SAR helicopter and RAF Mountain Rescue Team.
“The search continued in very poor weather conditions which hampered flying. This resulted in most of the areas being covered on foot by MR teams.”
The couple and their dog were found about midday on Monday in near-zero visibility. They were helped back down to the Cairngorm Mountain ski resort car park. Police Scotland said they were safe and well.
The pair, from England, had used their plastic bivvy bag to shelter on the mountain overnight in sub-zero temperatures, snow showers and winds reaching 30mph.
Cairngorm MRT team leader Willie Anderson told the BBC: “They misjudged how long their walk would take them yesterday and then the cloud closed in and it started snowing.
“They were a bit disorientated but at least they had a bivvy bag to shelter them. That probably saved their lives.”
The heavy-gauge plastic bivvy bags, big enough for an adult to climb into, are available for less than £5 from most outdoor retailers.
M F Donnely
02 January 2017Need to include more info on what a "bivvy bag" is. Not all readers are outdoorsy types, and we need to find the definition in order to understand the event. Plus, is this term specifically an English one?
karen palgrave
02 January 2017I am not that outdoorsy and I understand the term just because I know that bivouac means to camp - can only be a lightweight camping bag big enough to climb and take shelter.
Ian Grace
02 January 2017There is a little known search engine called "Google(!)" which can assist any person not familiar with the term "Bivvy Bag" wherever the term originates from or where is common parlance.
Andy Borland
03 January 2017http://www.military1st.co.uk/products/cs037-highlander-emergency-survival-bag-orange.html?gclid=CjwKEAiAkajDBRCRq8Czmdj-yFgSJADikZggF5st4j3Ver9bSplATEeSmx8VuLsaoxDB1F3Nn2kmVRoCSYTw_wcB
Andrew Marshall
03 January 2017I agree with M.F Donnely's comment... A "Bivvy Bag" rarely cost £5 now those orange "survival/emergency bags" do and can cost less. a "TRUE" bivvy bag cost from £30 up and was often used by armed forces personnel... Please clarify the "TYPE" as some will think you mean the more expensive version design for prelong periods of camping.
As too the Orange "surviva/emergency bag" everyone who enjoys the hills etc should carry one... The incident in this article is a great example as to why they are important.
regards
Andrew
Richard Ayre
03 January 2017Basic Bivvy bags are essentially heavy duty orange polythene bags (a bit like a big, robust robust bin liner) that are large enough to accommodate 1 person in an emergency. They're available from most outdoor retailers, only cost a few pounds and every walker should ALWAYS keep one in their rucksack regardless of where they're walking. its possible to become hyperthermic in summer and on low level walks if incapacitated for some reason, but getting out of the elements and into a bivvy bag can make all the difference.
Rich
Mountain rescue team member
Tim Cooke
03 January 2017http://lmgtfy.com/?q=bivvi+bag
Sean Warburton
03 January 2017Good advice from MRT again, anyone ever heard of google on here? Great for doing a little research on a bivvey bags if you are unclear .
Veronica V
03 January 2017good one Sean Warburton, not much hope for them if they get lost if they don't have the initiative to google 'bivvy bag' lol
Sheepy
03 January 2017My Orange "Bivvy" Bag dates back to the 1970's and was made by Karrimor (when they made decent stuff). I always carry it with me not only for emergencies but over the years it as acted as a wind shelter, rain cover, impromptu toboggan (fits up to 6) and also avoids a wet bottom when sitting down for lunch.
It is the best piece of equipment I have ever had and was last sat on just yesterday. I would add that it fits at least 2 people in it and is made of a much more robust "Visquene" type material as opposed to the flimsy orange bags that I see on sale today. I have 2 of these which have been acquired more recently and I don't use those because my old one is so much better.
John
03 January 2017You can fit your sleeping bag into a Bivvy bag. If it is a Gortex Bivvy bag it won't be cheap but it will be waterproof. You can then pull the string at the top from inside and its then nice and dry.
Munro maiden
03 January 2017I have one of the orange bags and also an emergency blanket that weighs just 68g. You can get an emergency bivvy bag in the same style that weighs 99g. It costs more than £5 - more like £20 - but how much is your life worth?
Steuart
05 January 2017I thought that a bivvy bag ( I have a mk1 goretex one from the mid 80's was essentially used for sleeping in but can be used as an emergency bag. An emergency bag which I always carry with me (unless said bivvy is packed) is only used for emergencies?